Morning had arrived. And Argyle had woken up for the day. Until suddenly he remembered something.
“Oh wait, the beacon.” He ran upstairs and turned the beacon off.
Then he went downstairs to check on his guest & patient. Knocking on the door of the spare room she said, “come in!”
“Hey there” said shining smiling.
“Sleep well?” Asked Argyle.
“Absolutely. It’s been a while since I’ve slept in an actual bed. Let alone one this comfortable.” Said Shining.
“Really?” Asked Argyle. And she nodded yes.
“Well, that’s great. Oh, how’s your hoof holding out?” He asked.
“Well, it’s better than yesterday but. I don’t know if I can stand on it yet.” She said.
“Oh. Ok. Well, uhhh. What kind of food you like?” Asked Argyle with an awkward grin.
“Oh well uh. Pancakes & tea mostly. I'm not that picky especially now after I literally tried eating grass for a while.” Shining said, smiling just as awkwardly.
“Oh dear. Uhhhh. Ok pancakes it is then.” And Argyle ran to the kitchen.
After he finished cooking up the pancakes he walked into the room and placed the plate of pancakes and glass of tea on the nightstand.
Before Argyle walked out. Shining quickly asked. “Hey, can you stay here?”
“Ok. I’ve got pancakes for me too, just let me get them.” Said Argyle.
“I might need your help if anything falls.” Said Shining.
“Good point.” Said Argyle walking out to get his own pancake plate before they got cold.
===
After the two ate breakfast, they sat in the room talking to each other about the events of last night, who they were and why?
“So, what brings you to maretime bay?” Argyle asked.
“Well. I didn’t exactly want to stay home. It was honestly a really lonely place. And so, I didn’t want to stay there anymore so I just traveled. Not really knowing where I would end up. But it would’ve been better than home.” Shining explained.
“So where is. Home?” Asked Argyle.
“A forest called bridlewood. It’s where unicorns like me live. But everypony there is just depressing and lifeless. They’re always sad and want to be left alone.
And they’re afraid of the word ‘Magic’ for some reason. Every time the word magic came up unicorns usually do this weird ritual dance, so they don’t get ‘jinxed’” Explained Shining holding her hooves up for the last part.
“What in the world?” Asked Argyle in confusion.
“If you think it’s weird it’s because well it is. It’s actually kind of funny.
And it’s not just magic. It’s also wing, feather and mayonnaise for some reason.” And then shining just started laughing.
And then Argyle started laughing. “Mayonnaise…? Why?” Laughing further.
“Oh no. I must not get randomly jinxed from the cursed evil MAYONNAISE!” Said Argyle laughing out loud. And that got Shining Star to laugh.
“I know.” She smiled.
“But anyway, my point is. Unicorns are always afraid of something so they’re always sad and depressed that the worst could possibly happen. And when I grew up to move out on my own. Things went well for a while but, the area I lived in didn’t have any unicorns visiting.
And well they were always afraid of earth ponies and pegasi too.” Shining Explained.
This immediately got Argyle to think of how maretime bay handled fears of Unicorns and Pegasi. But unlike bridlewood where that fear evolved into sadness.
The fear in maretime bay evolved into anger.
“Who told you earth ponies and pegasi were dangerous?” Argyle Asked.
“I forget. Unicorns aren’t really talkative, so I knew but I didn’t really take it seriously overtime.
Because it didn’t look like anypony else did.”
She said.
The two thought for a few seconds. Here they were a unicorn and an earth pony in the same house. Not a danger at all.
It only made logical sense that the Pegasi were probably innocent too.
“So, I left to make some friends. Not knowing who those friends were going to be.” Said shining.
“So, you just wandered aimlessly until you reached here?” Asked Argyle.
“For 3 days.” She said.
“Oh wow. You know that’s not exactly the best plan. Even if you are trying to escape that.” Said Argyle.
“I know. I know. I knew on day 1 this was a terrible idea. But hey, I found you, didn’t I?
And well. That’s kinda why I chased you when you saw me last night. But when I saved you I… I don’t know, my own fear from bridlewood must’ve finally caught up with me after finally seeing you were an earth pony.” Said Shining.
“I understand.” He said.
“Really? Is it worse in maretime bay?” Asked Shining.
“Actually yeah. You said the unicorns are so afraid that they barely talk about how dangerous we supposedly are right?” Asked Argyle.
“Yeah.” Said Shining with peaked curiosity.
“Well here in maretime bay. We are afraid but we’re actually angrier at Unicorns and Pegasi if anything.
And to be honest I can’t stand it. We talk about the dangers of Unicorns and Pegasi all the time. Every time. And it just doesn’t stop. It never ever stops!
Everypony screaming and shouting and yelling with no transition. We could be talking about anything else but Unicorns & Pegasi being the monsters of the world just always. ALWAYS comes up!
We literally developed weird gadgets and machines to stop them at our factory canterlogic.
Well… they failed. They made ponies angry, and they’re prepared. Now they just never ever shut up about it.” Argyle vented as he pouted.
He looked at her and sighed. “Sorry. If that was a little scary.” He said.
“No, no you needed to let that out. Just like I let out my frustration to you.” She said as she put her hoof on his back.
“Better?” Asked Shining.
“Yeah. A lot. I was just never able to say that to anypony because I was afraid if I did. Everyone would think I was more accepting of unicorns and pegasi.
And it’s amazing how I’m probably the only earth pony here that doesn’t take that threat so seriously because it makes me just as angry as everyone else.
And so, when I was old enough to move out. I moved out here in this lighthouse. Outside of town so I didn’t have to hear it anymore.” Said Argyle.
Suddenly his head collapsed onto the bed. And he sighed heavily.
“Oh Argyle. There’s that word again. Afraid.
But I get it. That’s exactly how I felt in bridlewood.” She put her hoof on his head.
“I know.
It’s just so much though.
And it hasn’t exactly been easy being alone either.” Said Argyle picking himself back up.
Shining smiled at him. “For both of us. But how about we hate fear together.”
Argyle smiled back. “You’re right. Even if somepony comes here and you need to hide. I’m not really afraid of that. Thank You for hearing me out, Shining.”
“That you too Argyle.” Shining Grinned.
And so, Argyle leaned in, wrapped his hooves around her and gave her a hug.
“Um. Argyle, what is this?” Asked Shining in confused laughter.
“Wow really? It’s called a hug. It’s just a sign of happiness. Kinda like saying thank you or I’m appreciative.” Said Argyle.
Shining couldn’t deny this felt good. She felt… great.
She felt fuzzy inside. And she started giggling.
“Oh, I see. It feels amazing.
Can I give you this? Hug though.” Asked Shining.
“Anytime. We’re friends now, aren’t we? That’s just what friends do.” Said Argyle.
Shining wrapped her hooves around Argyle and returned the hug.
“Mhm. Always friends.” Said Shining, closing her eyes.
She never felt this amazing in her life. And it was just a simple gesture that no one else really gave her.
The two hugged for quite a while.
Throughout the rest of the day. Argyle Scout and Shining Star would just enjoy each other’s company.
Laughing, hugging, playing games, Shining drew a few pictures and Argyle showed her some of his favorite books.
By the time night came. The two slept really well. Thinking about each other. It seemed something beautiful was created that day.
A beautiful forbidden friendship was born.